Skin plaster



SKIN PLASTER Thalmer J. Thompson, 391 Lexington Ave., Bnrlingame, Calif.

Filed Oct. 4, 1957, Set. No. 688,325

4 Claims. (Cl. 128 -153) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in skin plasters and is a further application of thefriction reducing principles set forth in my Patent No. 2,755,800 andco-pending application Serial No. 514,683, now Patent No. 2,817,335.

Most, if not all indurations of the skin, as for example corns andcallouses, are the result of frictional irritation. The indurationresults as a natural protection against the tearing or lacerating effectof the friction and also as protection against the frictional heatcreated. Accordingly, it is desirable to reduce and minimize frictionbetween the induration and the shoe or other afllicting object, and tothis end my invention is specifically designed to employ a material ofrecent manufacture having an exceptionally low co-efficient of friction,namely, polymerized tetrafluoroethylene.

A. particular object and feature of this invention resides in theprovision of a skin plaster having an exceptionally low coefficient offriction to minimize painful rubbing and resulting frictional heat.

Another object resides in the utilization of an extremely thin andlightweight material for maximum comfort and avoiding any unnecessarybulk which would serve only to increase the pressure. Polymerizedtetrafluoroethylene may be manufactured in thicknesses ranging from .001to .005 inch, but despite this microscopic dimension is quite durableand may be used over a substantial period of time without deterioration.As a consequence of the lightweight thinness and durability the plastermay comfortably be worn both as an aid in the relief of existingindurations and to forestall reformation of new induration.

A further object resides in a plaster of suflicient length for the outerends to overlap when secured in position forming an effective lock.

The foregoing and other objects of my invention will become apparentfrom a reading and understanding of the following specification andaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of an indurated toe employing one embodiment ofthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing a second embodiment of my invention;and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the first embodiment applied to atoe.

Referring now to the drawings and in detail, the invention comprises aplaster having a strip 12 of polymerized, tetrafluoroethylene mountedbetween two lengths of flexible tape 14. The underside of both tapes 14and strip 12 are provided with a skin adhering adhesive as at 16 and 13respectively. The ends of polymerized, tetrafluoroethylene strip 12, areattached to the top surface 17 of the inside ends of each length of tape14.

Plaster A is particularly suited for indurations of the feet, such ascorns and calouses, but it will be readily appreciated, the plaster maybe applied to any portion of ted States Patent 0 the body where it isdesirable to reduce friction. The dimension of strip 12 and length oftape 14 will of course vary depending on the induration to be covered.In all cases polymerized tetrafluoroethylene strip 12 should be largeenough to cover therfrictional area of the particular induration.

Fig. 1 illustrates the invention applied to a toe B having an indurationor com 18. Plaster A is mounted on the toe so that polymerizedtetrafiuoroethylene strip 12 overlies com 1 8 and tape 14 encircles theremainder of the toe.

It will be observed tapes 14 are of suflicient lengths to overlap attheir outer ends as at 19 to firmly secure or lock the plaster to thetoe.

Master A is formed with the combination of tape and polymerizedtetrafluoroethylene to economize on tetrafluoroethylene, so that themore expensive product need be used only at the point where it isdesirable to reduce friction.

More important the tape on the ends of the polymerizedtetrafluoroethylene can form an overlapping lock as viewed at 19. Thenon-adhesive surface of polymerized tetrafluoroethylene is substantiallynon-reactive chemically or physically over a wide range of tempera tureswhereby substantially nothing will adhere to the non-adhesive surfaces.Accordingly a single tape of polymerized tetrafluoroethyleneunilaterally provided with an adhesive could not form an eifective lockat overlapping ends.

In operation the substantially friction-free, non-adhesive surface ofmember 12 gives very little resistance to the rubbing of the afflictingfootgear or shoe and accordingly, friction and frictional heat isminimized. The induration is materially relieved and over a period oftime in many cases the induration will slough oif and disappear.

Polymerized tetrafluoroethylene is unusually durable and will last overa substantial period of time. Its exceptionally thin constructionrenders increased pressure between the induration and the affiictingfootgear due to the insertion of additional material therebetween,substantially nil. Due to its lightweight construction and durabilitythe plaster may comfortably be worn over an extended period of time bothto relieve existing indurations and to prevent reformation of newindurations.

Fig. 4 discloses a plaster C similar to plaster A except that plaster Cis provided with two juxtaposed strips of polymerizedtetrafluoroethylene. Plaster C comprises an upper strip 21 and a lowerstrip 22 of polymerized tetrafluoroethylene with the adjacent ends 23 oftwo tapes 24 sandwiched between strips 21 and 22. The inside faces ofstrips 21 and 22 are provided with an adhesive as at 25 to permanentlyattach the tape to the strips and the two tapes 24 are provided with aunilateral coating of pressure sensitive adhesive as at 26 so theplaster can be attached to a persons body as hereinabove described.

In this embodiment the substantially friction-free and non-adhesivesurfaces of polymerized tetrafluoroethylene are juxtaposed both againstthe afflicting footgear and also against the induration. Accordingly,this embodiment has the advantages of the first embodiment and alsoprovides a very low co-efiicient of friction in contact with theinduration. Thus, stresses on the induration which might result frommovement and pull on the polymerized tetrafluoroethylene where thepolymerized tetrafluoroethylene is adhesively secured to the induration,is further minimized by the non-adhesive surface of member 22 permittingslidable movement relative to the induration but with a minimum offriction.

The two embodiments of the plaster have been described only with respectto a single corn on a toe. As previously mentioned, however, the plastermay be applied to any portion of the body when it is desirable to reducefriction. Thus it could be applied to body sores of a bedfast patient.Or in the case of one or more corns bet-ween adjacent toes one plastermay be positioned over the afflicted areaand'a second plaster'secured tothe adjacent toe with the polymerized tetrafluoroethylene positioned atthe point where rubbing occurs'substantially nullifying friction at thispoint.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail byway of illustration and example for purposes of clarity ofunderstanding, it will be understood that certain changes andmodifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention andthe scope of appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a skin plaster, the combination including a pair of first strips;at least one strip of polymerized tetrafiuoroethylene, said first stripsbeing secured in spaced, end to end relation by said strip oftetrafiuoroethylene.

2. In a skin plaster the combination including at least one membercomposed of polymerized tetrafluoroethylene, at least one tape member, amarginal edge of said polymerized tetrafluoroethylene member joined toone end of said tape member whereby said marginal edge only of saidpolymerized tetraflnoroethylene member opposes said tape member, each ofsaid members provided with an adhesive on one face thereof.

3. In a skin plaster the combination including a pair of tape members, apair of opposed polymerized tetrafluoroethylene members, the opposedsurfaces of said polymerized tetrafluoroethylene members provided with apressure sensitive adhesive securing said tape members in spacedsubstantially co-planar position, said tape members unilaterallyprovided with a skin adhering adhesive.

4. A skin plaster securable to a member of a human body comprising atleast one member composed of polymerized tetrafluoroethylene, at leastone tape member, a marginal edge of said polymerized tetrafluoroethylenemember joined to one end of said tape member whereby said marginal edgeonly of said polymerized tetrafluoroethylene member opposes said tapemember, each of said members unilaterally provided with a skin adheringadhesive, the longitudinal dimension of the plaster being greater thanthe circumference of the body to which it is to be secured whereby theopposite ends of the plaster are arranged partially to overlie eachother to lock the plaster on the body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,254,883 Boyle Sept. 2, 1941 2,703,083 Gross Mar. 1, 1955 2,755,800Thompson July 24, 1956 2,781,552 Gray Feb. 19, 1957

2. IN A SKIN PLASTER THE COMBINATION INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE MEMBERCOMPOSED OF POLYMERIZED TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE, AT LEAST ONE TAPE MEMBER,MARGINAL EDGE OF SAID POLYMERIZED TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE MEMBER JOINED TOONE END OF SAID TAPE MEMBER WHEREBY SAID MARGINAL EDGE ONLY OF SAIDPOLYMERIZED TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE MEMBER OPPOSES SAID TAPE MEMBER, EACH OFSAID MEMBERS PROVIDED WITH AN ADHESIVE ON ONE FACE THEREOF.